THE WATER SPIDER. 4S5 



still keeps its eyes upon it, in order to commence a 

 fresh attack. Dr. Brookes says it has been some- 

 times seen in the act ot instructing its young 

 ones how to hunt ; and also that, whenever an old 

 one missed its leap, it would run from the place, 

 and hide itself in some crevice, as if ashamed of 

 its mismanagement ! 



THE WATER-SPIDER*. 



This singular little creature is a very common in- 

 habitant of our fresh waters. When in the water 

 its belly appears as if covered with a silver varnish. 

 This is, however, nothing more than a bubble of 

 air attached to the abdomen by the oily humours 

 which transpire from the body, and prevent the 

 immediate contact of the water. By means of this 

 kind of bubble the insect forms its dwelling under 

 the water. It fixes several silky threads to the 

 stalks of the water-plants, and then, ascending to 

 the surface, thrusts the hinder part of its body 

 above the water, drawing it back with so much 

 rapidity as to attach beneath a bubble of air, which 

 it has the art of detaining below, by placing it under 

 the threads above mentioned, and which it bends, 

 like a covering, almost round it. It then again 

 ascends for another air bubble, and thus proceeds 

 till it has constructed a large aerial apartment under 

 the water, which it enters into or quits at pleasure, 



* Aranca aquatica. Linn. 



Ii 3 



